Israel, much like the fortress of Tel-Chai that Jospeh Trumpeldor fought to defend against Arab conquerors in 1920, finds itself beseiged by enemies both within and without. Terrorists, would-be friends inside and outside Israel, and even bad government officials. Here are the discussions of one proud Zionist resident on the state of the nation and abroad.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Neturei Karta member who wanted to spy for Iran convicted

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man who was convicted of offering to spy for Iran was sentenced to a four-and-a-half-year prison term by the Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday.

Yitzhak Bergel, a 46-year-old a member of the anti-Zionist fringe group Neturei Karta, met with Iranian officials at their embassy in Berlin in 2011.

Bergel attempted to enter the embassy on January 17, but found it to be closed. Returning the following day, he was shepherded into an inner room at the embassy and there met with three unidentified men.

He told the Iranian officials that he denies the existence of the State of Israel and offered to spy for Iran. He also explained to the officials that he was not interested in asylum, and was “willing to murder a Zionist.”

Three days after the meeting, Bergel returned to Israel and began to check the email account repeatedly, and even attempted to contact someone named “Haji Baba” by phone.

Bergel was arrested in mid-July. As part of a plea bargain, he confessed to charges of treason and contacting a foreign agent.

While some political observers argued he was an incompetent bungler, he could still be dangerous: what if he did try to murder people whom he perceived as Zionists? No matter how laughable his efforts to become an enemy spy are on the surface, that doesn't mean he still couldn't be dangerous. Let's remember that Neturei Karta were added to the ADL list of anti-Israel groups considered hazards to Israel's safety.

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About me

I'm Avi Green

From Jerusalem, Israel

I was born in Pennsylvania in 1974, and moved to Israel in 1983. I also enjoyed reading a lot of comics when I was young, the first being Fantastic Four. I maintain a strong belief in the public's right to knowledge and accuracy in facts. I like to think of myself as a conservative-style version of Clark Kent. I don't expect to be perfect at the job, but I do my best.